History of the Alpen Schuhplattlers

The Alpen Schuhplattler were officially founded in 1964, when a group of dancers was formed to represent the German culture at the Pittsburgh Folk Festival. After mastering a few dances, the group also appeared at several affairs in and about the city of Pittsburgh and also established a Kindergruppe.

The Teutonia Männerchor in Pittsburgh’s Deutschtown neighborhood, North Side, was adopted as the Vereinsheim (clubhouse) and practice began on a weekly basis. In 1966, the group attended their first Fahnenweihe in Montreal, Canada, for Schuhplattlergruppe Alpenland and joined the Gauverband Nordamerika.

The Alpen Schuhplattler und Trachtenverein d’Pittsburgher still practice and perform at the historic Teutonia Männerchor. It currently counts 40 members in its adult, intermediate and children’s groups.